# Alaska SB 208: AGRICULTURAL LAND; HEMP; STATE VEGETABLE

Alaska SB 208, AGRICULTURAL LAND; HEMP; STATE VEGETABLE, is a 34th Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Jesse Bjorkman (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-08-11 ((S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB208-34
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Alaska SB 208
- State: Alaska
- Session: 34th Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: AGRICULTURAL LAND; HEMP; STATE VEGETABLE
- Status: became law
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-21
- Last action: 2026-08-11, (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER
- Sponsor: Jesse Bjorkman (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (94 yes, 46 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 11

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Farm tenants get a purchase option: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, qualifying farm tenants get the first option to buy when the state decides to sell. Tenants must have farmed the land for at least seven years and followed their lease. The state must also create a lease-purchase program. That program may credit part of lease payments toward…
- Former hemp registrants get targeted relief: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible former hemp registrants may apply for reinstatement without paying a renewal fee. They must have held valid registration between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2025. Their registration must have lapsed solely because of state regulatory action between January 1,…
- Qualifying hemp businesses get state tax relief: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the state tax imposed by AS 43.61.010(a) does not apply to qualifying industrial hemp. Hemp must be produced under the law’s registration and compliance requirements. Products made from industrial hemp also qualify when compliant testing shows no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC b…
- Farm landowners face stronger covenant enforcement: cost, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Alaska can enforce permanent agricultural land covenants through civil lawsuits and fines. Fines may apply for failing to cooperate with a conservation district or prepare and carry out a required farm-development schedule. Violating a covered covenant can also trigger a…
- Farm lease violations risk fines and cancellation: cost, medium. The commissioner may cancel a grazing lease when the land is not used for its authorized purpose. New agricultural leases may also be canceled when the land is not used for agriculture. Beginning July 1, 2026, the director may impose civil fines for violations of the agricultural leasing rules. Reg…
- New farm leases with plan requirements: mixed, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, Alaska offers agricultural leases lasting up to 20 years, with rent that may be below market. Applicants must provide farm and conservation plans, production timelines, proposed improvements, financial information, and qualifications. Leases must allow farmer and farm-worker…
- Farmers can apply to buy state land: mixed, medium. Alaska may invite applications to buy state farmland after a written finding that selling serves the state’s interests and public notice. The commissioner may set regional per-acre prices below market value. Applicants must provide farm, conservation, financial, and marketing plans, plus their qual…
- Hemp growers can salvage some noncompliant crops: mixed, medium. Hemp testing must follow federal methods and account for measurement uncertainty. Crops at or below 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight are compliant. Registered growers with crops above 0.3% through 1% may retain them for reconditioning, remediation, or conversion to nonintoxicating industrial use. Kee…
- Hemp growers gain options with production limits: mixed, low. Registered hemp growers may use seeds, starts, clones, or cuttings and save seeds for future seasons. State rules must cover approved planting materials, postharvest testing, grower tiers, and prevention of unintended seed spread. Qualifying federal approvals or third-party certifications may be ac…
- Hemp growers get corrective steps and penalties: mixed, low. The state can use a corrective-action plan that provides written notice and a chance to fix hemp violations. The plan sets objective criteria for escalating to civil fines, suspension, or loss of registration. For unregistered production, stop-sale orders and violation notices are discretionary rat…
- Hemp growers get savings and reporting rules: mixed, low. Hemp registration and renewal applicants must report acreage or estimated plant counts, but no longer submit the specified felony-related sworn statement. Registered micro-growers get reduced or waived application, registration, or renewal fees. They qualify by growing on less than one-quarter acre…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jesse Bjorkman (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Matt Claman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Cronk (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bill Elam (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Cathy Giessel (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: James Kaufman (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jesse Kiehl (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: George Rauscher (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cathy Tilton (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Robert Yundt (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-18 | Senate | CONCUR AM OF (H) Y17 N3 | pass | 17 | 3 |   |
| 2026-05-17 | House | AM NO 4 FAILED Y19 N21 | fail | 19 | 21 |   |
| 2026-05-17 | House | AM NO 5 FAILED Y19 N21 | fail | 19 | 21 |   |
| 2026-05-17 | House | PASSED Y39 N1 | pass | 39 | 1 |   |

## Bill text

- Enrolled SB 208, 2026-05-18: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208Z), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208Z.PDF)
- HCS CSSB 208(RES) am H, 2026-05-17: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208D), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208D.PDF)
- HCS CSSB 208(RES), 2026-05-16: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208C), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208C.PDF)
- CSSB 208(RES), 2026-04-20: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208B), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208B.PDF)
- SB 208, 2026-01-21: [HTML](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208A), [PDF](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208A.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES (became law)
- SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE (became law)
- SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY (became law)
- HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET (signed)
- HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP (signed)
- HB 239: CRIME/CNTRL SUBST/ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY (became law)

## Sources
- [Enrolled SB 208 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208Z)
- [Enrolled SB 208 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208Z.PDF)
- [HCS CSSB 208(RES) am H (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208D)
- [HCS CSSB 208(RES) am H (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208D.PDF)
- [HCS CSSB 208(RES) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208C)
- [HCS CSSB 208(RES) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208C.PDF)
- [CSSB 208(RES) (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208B)
- [CSSB 208(RES) (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208B.PDF)
- [SB 208 (HTML)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=SB0208A)
- [SB 208 (PDF)](https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0208A.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 178: EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB178-34)
- [SB 104: VEHICLES/BOATS: TRANSFER ON DEATH TITLE](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB104-34)
- [SB 86: MONEY TRANSMISSION; VIRTUAL CURRENCY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB86-34)
- [HB 265: APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB265-34)
- [HB 263: APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET;FUNDS;SUPP](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB263-34)
- [HB 239: CRIME/CNTRL SUBST/ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-HB239-34)
- [Alaska bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska/bills)
- [Alaska state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alaska)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AK-SB208-34 (as of 2026-11-04).